GER30250 Born in the GDR

Academic Year 2024/2025

The German Democratic Republic (1949-89) existed for only forty years and German reunification now lies over thirty years in the past. However, for children who were born in the GDR, and for younger generations whose parents were GDR citizens, the legacy of state socialism continues to have profound effects. These children were the future of a brand- new socialist republic which invested in them hopes and dreams of a better future and, consequently, saw their political and moral education as a prime objective. When the GDR ceased to exist its particular, socialist, model of childhood was ostensibly consigned to the history books. However, more than three decades on, an impassioned public debate about the GDR past continues, raising important questions such as:
• How can we remember experiences of oppression and suffering at the hands of a state, whilst respecting the importance of personal memories of an ordinary childhood which was often happy?
• Who decides what is remembered and by whom (and how)?
• How do we understand the aspirations invested in building socialism and what role was ascribed to children in this?
• Where did concepts of childhood in the GDR come from and how were they propagated?
• What did socialist ideals and social structures mean in people’s everyday lives? and how did their collapse affect former citizens of the GDR?
These issues resonate far beyond the boundaries of Germany and have great significance for urgent issues of our time, not least the question of trust in politics, of the role of media and art in communicating values, of how we imagine collectives and collective action, and of how we treat those perceived to be ‘outsiders’ in our societies.

This module asks how German culture looks back on childhood and upbringing in the GDR and explores its impact in the post-unification world. Considering recent samples of poetry, prose fiction, film, and other (audio/)visual materials we will consider what it was like to grow up in the GDR and what it means to remember a childhood and youth spent during, and in the aftermath of, state socialism. We will consider issues such as:
• Education and leisure time
• Youth and sub-cultures
• Experience of migrant populations in the GDR
• Societal challenges and youth: innovative and destructive responses
• Debates about remembering the GDR

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this module students will be able to:
• Demonstrate an understanding of key tenets GDR youth policy.
• Demonstrate an understanding of key aspects of everyday life for young people during the GDR.
• Demonstrate a critical awareness of key debates associated with the cultural memory of the GDR in the context of unified
Germany.
• Apply this knowledge to critically analyse written and visual texts (for example novels, poems, films, posters).
• Engage in structured discussions about module topics, showing an ability to formulate appropriate questions, summarise key ideas and articulate opinions.
• Undertake independent research into module themes.
• Present a coherent argument about an aspect of the module content, using language and style appropriate to the chosen format.

Indicative Module Content:

In this module we will consider a variety of materials including
- literary texts (for example Jana Hensel, Zonenkinder [2002]; Matthias Jügler, Die Verlassenen [2021)], Arne Kohlweyer, Ostkind [2024])
- films (for example: Sonnenallee [1999]; Das schweigende Klassenzimmer [2018])
- poetry
- other media including posters and educational materials, DEFA information videos, personal testimonies.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Seminar (or Webinar)

24
Specified Learning Activities

48
Autonomous Student Learning

28
Total

100
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
In this module we will engage in a variety of classroom activities as well as tasks to be carried out at home. This may include:
- group learning activities
- short talks by the module lecturer
- peer-teaching activities
- creative exercises
- class discussions
- independent research

 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Student Negotiated or Choice of Assessment: Students will submit a final project on a chosen aspect of the module content. Students may choose the format of this submission from a range offered by the module co-ordinator (oral or written). Week 14 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No

65

 No
Group Work Assignment: In small, self-selected groups (or - on special request - individually) students will prepare a classroom activity for their peers. The group timeslots will be agreed with the module coordinator. Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No

35

 No

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Peer review activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

During the module, while preparing a group work assessment, students will be offered the opportunity to receive feedback on their planned classroom activity (in-person or online). Following delivery of their group work assessment students will receive group and individual feedback from the module co-ordinator: this will be immediate oral informal feedback to the group in-class, and formal individual written feedback after class via the VLE). They will also receive group feedback from their peers (questionnaire responses: provided after class via the VLE). Prior to the submission of the final project students may submit a draft for feedback from the module co-ordinator. This feedback will be provided online via Brightspace. Following submission of the project students will receive written feedback via Brightspace.